Amidst the stench, sweat, nerves, laughter, and jokes, some young and some not so young remain anonymous, preparing their stinking sheepskins, ram antlers, and cowbells.

They are the Carneros de Tigaday (El Hierro), who every Sunday and Tuesday of Carnival march through the town streets, terrifying locals and hundreds of outsiders, chasing, grabbing, and knocking down anyone who challenges them or gets in their way, impregnating them with the stench of their tanned hide and smearing them with shoe polish.

The origin of this celebration cannot be precisely dated, but it is known to be linked to the island's earliest inhabitants and their relationship with pastoral livestock.

After the Civil War, this tradition was on the verge of disappearing, but thanks to Don Benito Padrón, who revived it, and later to his son Ramón Padrón Cejas, who has kept it alive to this day. Far from being just a local festival, Los Carneros de Tigaday were recognized as a Canary Islands Cultural Heritage Site in 2018 and remain part of the El Hierro carnival today.

This festival, which at first may leave anyone unfamiliar with the tradition perplexed and horrified, is ultimately a lot of fun.